Intensive treatment shows potential against type 2 diabetes

Instead of managing type 2 diabetes as a chronic condition, what if people could beat the disease?  That was the thinking behind a small pilot study, which suggested that intensive treatment with oral medicine, insulin, diet and exercise might knock out the disease, at least for several months, in certain patients. Up to 40 percent of patients who were treated experienced complete or partial remission for three months, the study found.
"We are now able to possibly reverse diabetes, and that really motivates patients to do their best in terms of losing weight and making sure their sugars are normalized," said lead author Dr. Natalia McInnes.
She's an assistant professor of endocrinology and metabolism at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. However, relatively few participants remained in remission a year later, diabetes experts noted. "Rates of diabetes remission did not appear to differ significantly at 52 weeks between 'control' and 'intervention' groups, so the effects do not appear to be sustained," said Dr. Christine Lee of the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
And, Dr. Philip Kern, professor of endocrinology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, added, "If you don't sustain the lifestyle intervention, then the disease is going to come back."
The bodies of people with type 2 diabetes don't use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar into cells to be used as fuel. At first, the body responds by making more insulin, but eventually, your body cannot make enough insulin to keep up with the demand. This leads to increasing blood sugar levels. Over time, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can damage the nerves, eyes, kidneys or heart, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Adults newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were invited to participate in the trial. Each was randomly assigned to receive either two months or four months of treatment, or "usual diabetes care" (the control group).
HealthDay

 

Intensive treatment shows potential against type 2 diabetes

Instead of managing type 2 diabetes as a chronic condition, what if people could beat the disease? That was the thinking behind a small pilot study, which suggested that intensive treatment with oral medicine, insulin, diet and exercise might knock out the disease, at least for several months, in certain patients. Up to 40 percent of patients who were treated experienced complete or partial remission for three months, the study found. We are now able to possibly reverse diabetes, and that really motivates patients to do their best in terms of losing weight and making sure their sugars are normalized, said lead author Dr. Natalia McInnes. Shes an assistant professor of endocrinology and metabolism at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. However, relatively few participants remained in remission a year later, diabetes experts noted. Rates of diabetes remission did not appear to differ significantly at 52 weeks between control and intervention groups, so the effects do not appear to be sustained, said Dr. Christine Lee of the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). And, Dr. Philip Kern, professor of endocrinology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, added, If you dont sustain the lifestyle intervention, then the disease is going to come back. The bodies of people with type 2 diabetes dont use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar into cells to be used as fuel. At first, the body responds by making more insulin, but eventually, your body cannot make enough insulin to keep up with the demand. This leads to increasing blood sugar levels. Over time, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can damage the nerves, eyes, kidneys or heart, according to the American Diabetes Association. Adults newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were invited to participate in the trial. Each was randomly assigned to receive either two months or four months of treatment, or usual diabetes care (the control group). HealthDay